1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for facilitating the opening of pull tab cans. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool, which is operable to assist users in both pivotally rotating pull tabs and initially and substantially pushing up the lid to separate the lid from the can.
2. Description of Prior Art
Pull tabs, as openers on cans housing a variety of products, have been in public use for a number of years. As shown in FIG. 4, a pull tab normally includes a ring 117 which has an opening 118 formed therein to receive a finger of a user there through. The ring 117 is attached to a can lid portion 120 by a rivet 119 or the like. Generally speaking, there are two types of cans with pull tab actuators.
The first type of pull tab actuated can provides a limited size opening in the can lid for drinking or pouring the liquid contents of the can.
The second type of pull tab actuated can, which is commonly available today, is a tear away lid type in which the lid of the can is removed in a two-step process. When removing the lid from the second type of can, the pull tab is first pivotally rotated to break a seal at the edge of the lid, in a manner similar to that used to open the small opening type of can. Then, once the seal has been broken, the user pulls substantially linearly on the pull tab to tear the lid away from the can along a scored groove provided around the outer edge of the lid. Some examples of products, which are sold in the tear away lid type of can, includes soup, cat food, and Vienna sausages. While pull tab actuated cans are convenient and do not require the use of an extraneous can opener, people with limited strength or manual dexterity, or people who wish to protect their nails from breaking, would benefit from the provision of a tool that could facilitate the opening of a pull tab tear away type of can. In addition people with limited dexterity and/or limited strength issues would have a problem holding down the can to keep the contents from spilling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,083 develop by Joseph Medonia is an opener that works similar to this tool. Prior art of that invention proved it still required a great deal of finger strength to lift the tab enough to fit into his tool's opening. Also, it still requires the same amount of strength to pull the tab/lid back and off with the tool as with a finger. It also didn't prevent the spilling that almost always occurs when the can moves while pulling the lid off.